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Dems critique State of Union
Picture perfect. The Natural History Museum is one of several historical landmarks housed within Exposition Park. Due to California's ailing budget, there has been talk ol soiling the pack, which could gonerate as much as $400 million in revenue.
Exposition Pa rk
Talks of selling the historical landmark raises concerns from park enthusiasts.
By ANNA JEWETT
Staff Writer
ommunity members have expressed their opposition to last year’s recommendation by the California Performance Review to sell Exposition Park, the historic landmark that includes the Natural History Museum, the Rose Garden and the Coliseum.
The property itself could generate
$400 million in revenue for the state, said Jon Gibby, the general manager of Exposition Park.
“Exposition Park is a gem and the only thing we have of significance in the inner-city," said Guy Leemhuis, the public safety chair on the Empowerment Congress. “It is our state resource, and it needs to stay that way.
While the state government is the primary owner, the city and county hold a number of long-term leases and would therefore need to be involved in any decisions made, Gibby said.
But the community has been vocal and elicited clear opposition to the sale of the park.
The 48th Assembly District Empowerment Congress hosted a conference on Jan. 22 attended by neighborhood council presidents, community leaders and other non-profit organizations in which community members collectively opposed the selling of this property.
The conference addressed the sale of Exposition Park as well as health care and higher education.
But the meeting for Exposition Park attracted the most attention from community members, Leemhuis said.
The state is trying to find ways to close the budget gap. said Assemblyman Mark Ridley-Thomas
(D-Los Angeles). But Ridley-Thomas also said “a historic value can not be reduced to private transaction.”
Although it is currently unclear which private interests the property would be sold to, leemhuis said that there is a great danger of Exposition Park being placed on the potential sell list.
Brian Bardos, a senior majoring in international business, agrees.
“L.A. is such an urban sprawl — a big developed mess," he said. “There are very few sites to see in terms of nature."
The 48th Assembly created a
I see Exposition page 3 I
USC Republicans and Democrats both watch President Bush's State of Union Wednesday.
By JOANNA WU
Staff Writer
President Bush announced a plan to privatize Social Security and declared a commitment to “the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world" in the State of the Union address Wednesday night.
In a speech that lasted about 53 minutes, Bush discussed a number of issues, including the war in Iraq. Social Security, education, tax code reform and faith-based community groups.
“Tonight, with a healthy, growing economy, with more Americans going back to work, with our nation an active force for good in the world, the state of our union is confident and strong," Bush said in the opening of his speech.
“(Bush) was not really saying anything substantial," said Kristen Reeves, a sophomore majoring in fine arts.
Reeves, along with others from the USC Democrats, watched the speech at Tommy’s Place in Student Union.
About 20 people attended to view the speech.
I see Union, page 111
INDEX
Media Mail searches raise privacy concerns
Student Newspaper of the University of Southern California Since 1912
February 3, 2005
Media Mail, a cheap way to mail books, is the focus of USPS security checks.
By JOANNA LIN
Contributing Writer
To prevent customers from taking advantage of cheaper mailing rates by sending banned items through its Media Mail service, the U.S. Postal Service is now inspecting packages that are suspicious as well as others at random, raising privacy concerns among some customers.
Media Mail provides the most affordable mailing rates for a variety of items, including books, CDs and printed educational material.
Some items that are not approved by USPS which customers most commonly try to send through Media Mail include
solicitations and computer hardware.
At the Dockweiler post office, located on Vermont Avenue across the street from campus, the majority of Media Mail customers are USC students, said
lobby director Ruben Alvarez.
“A lot of students use (Media Mail) to mail their books — things they sell on eBay," Alvarez said.
According to the USPS Domestic
Alicia Anderson I Daily Troian
Mailing list. People stand in line to send out mail. The U.S. Postal Service searches random packages sent through its Media Mail service.
Mail Manual, any postal employee can inspect a Media Mail package without customer consent.
Quite frequendy, the package is not inspected in the customer’s presence, said Daniel Reece, a sales associate at Dockweiler. In these cases, the package is sent to the ieturn address with notification of why the package was opened and how much postage is due.
“Legally, this seems perfectly OK. The concern is that people have expectations of privacy related to mail — we assume that it cannot be opened without a warrant — and that this kind of rule undermines our legitimate expectations," said USC law professor Jennifer Urban.
Media Mail in particular, Urban said, could be cause for concern.
“(Media Mail) involves books, papers, etc. — the very kind of thing that we expect people to be able to
I see Media page 3 i
Washington's Nate Robinson was a football recruit, but has become a basketball star. 16
College girls haw their priorities backward. 4
WEATHER
Today: Sunny. High 75, low 49.
Tomorrow: Sunny. High 74, low 49.
News Digest ...2 Classifieds.....12
Opinions_____4 Crossword.....13
Lifestyle_____7 Sports..........._!•
INSIDE
Marilyn Monroes friends share memories with
students.
7
Vol. CXI.VI. No. If.>

Dems critique State of Union
Picture perfect. The Natural History Museum is one of several historical landmarks housed within Exposition Park. Due to California's ailing budget, there has been talk ol soiling the pack, which could gonerate as much as $400 million in revenue.
Exposition Pa rk
Talks of selling the historical landmark raises concerns from park enthusiasts.
By ANNA JEWETT
Staff Writer
ommunity members have expressed their opposition to last year’s recommendation by the California Performance Review to sell Exposition Park, the historic landmark that includes the Natural History Museum, the Rose Garden and the Coliseum.
The property itself could generate
$400 million in revenue for the state, said Jon Gibby, the general manager of Exposition Park.
“Exposition Park is a gem and the only thing we have of significance in the inner-city," said Guy Leemhuis, the public safety chair on the Empowerment Congress. “It is our state resource, and it needs to stay that way.
While the state government is the primary owner, the city and county hold a number of long-term leases and would therefore need to be involved in any decisions made, Gibby said.
But the community has been vocal and elicited clear opposition to the sale of the park.
The 48th Assembly District Empowerment Congress hosted a conference on Jan. 22 attended by neighborhood council presidents, community leaders and other non-profit organizations in which community members collectively opposed the selling of this property.
The conference addressed the sale of Exposition Park as well as health care and higher education.
But the meeting for Exposition Park attracted the most attention from community members, Leemhuis said.
The state is trying to find ways to close the budget gap. said Assemblyman Mark Ridley-Thomas
(D-Los Angeles). But Ridley-Thomas also said “a historic value can not be reduced to private transaction.”
Although it is currently unclear which private interests the property would be sold to, leemhuis said that there is a great danger of Exposition Park being placed on the potential sell list.
Brian Bardos, a senior majoring in international business, agrees.
“L.A. is such an urban sprawl — a big developed mess," he said. “There are very few sites to see in terms of nature."
The 48th Assembly created a
I see Exposition page 3 I
USC Republicans and Democrats both watch President Bush's State of Union Wednesday.
By JOANNA WU
Staff Writer
President Bush announced a plan to privatize Social Security and declared a commitment to “the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world" in the State of the Union address Wednesday night.
In a speech that lasted about 53 minutes, Bush discussed a number of issues, including the war in Iraq. Social Security, education, tax code reform and faith-based community groups.
“Tonight, with a healthy, growing economy, with more Americans going back to work, with our nation an active force for good in the world, the state of our union is confident and strong," Bush said in the opening of his speech.
“(Bush) was not really saying anything substantial," said Kristen Reeves, a sophomore majoring in fine arts.
Reeves, along with others from the USC Democrats, watched the speech at Tommy’s Place in Student Union.
About 20 people attended to view the speech.
I see Union, page 111
INDEX
Media Mail searches raise privacy concerns
Student Newspaper of the University of Southern California Since 1912
February 3, 2005
Media Mail, a cheap way to mail books, is the focus of USPS security checks.
By JOANNA LIN
Contributing Writer
To prevent customers from taking advantage of cheaper mailing rates by sending banned items through its Media Mail service, the U.S. Postal Service is now inspecting packages that are suspicious as well as others at random, raising privacy concerns among some customers.
Media Mail provides the most affordable mailing rates for a variety of items, including books, CDs and printed educational material.
Some items that are not approved by USPS which customers most commonly try to send through Media Mail include
solicitations and computer hardware.
At the Dockweiler post office, located on Vermont Avenue across the street from campus, the majority of Media Mail customers are USC students, said
lobby director Ruben Alvarez.
“A lot of students use (Media Mail) to mail their books — things they sell on eBay," Alvarez said.
According to the USPS Domestic
Alicia Anderson I Daily Troian
Mailing list. People stand in line to send out mail. The U.S. Postal Service searches random packages sent through its Media Mail service.
Mail Manual, any postal employee can inspect a Media Mail package without customer consent.
Quite frequendy, the package is not inspected in the customer’s presence, said Daniel Reece, a sales associate at Dockweiler. In these cases, the package is sent to the ieturn address with notification of why the package was opened and how much postage is due.
“Legally, this seems perfectly OK. The concern is that people have expectations of privacy related to mail — we assume that it cannot be opened without a warrant — and that this kind of rule undermines our legitimate expectations," said USC law professor Jennifer Urban.
Media Mail in particular, Urban said, could be cause for concern.
“(Media Mail) involves books, papers, etc. — the very kind of thing that we expect people to be able to
I see Media page 3 i
Washington's Nate Robinson was a football recruit, but has become a basketball star. 16
College girls haw their priorities backward. 4
WEATHER
Today: Sunny. High 75, low 49.
Tomorrow: Sunny. High 74, low 49.
News Digest ...2 Classifieds.....12
Opinions_____4 Crossword.....13
Lifestyle_____7 Sports..........._!•
INSIDE
Marilyn Monroes friends share memories with
students.
7
Vol. CXI.VI. No. If.>